The act of giving involves much more than money. We can give inspiration to those who need it. We can share a laugh or smile with the heavyhearted. We can give our attention to one who needs desperately to be heard and appreciated as an individual. We can give hope. We can give compassion. We can give of our special talents and abilities.
If we are not giving, we cannot receive and thus we lose our balance. The result may be illness, poverty, or unhappiness. These symptoms can be used as valuable warning signals, however, telling us that we have become unbalanced and need to do something about it.
Nothing outside of ourselves can bring our lives into balance—not all of the doctors, friends, or material things in the world. We must adjust the scales within our own being. We can do so by living in the conscious awareness of Divine Spirit dwelling within us. God will guide us into the ways of giving, and our returns will pour down upon us in a splendid array of good.
In the scriptures, we find much emphasis placed upon the quality of joy. Are you living a happy, joy-filled life? Do you find laughter easy for you, a part of your nature?
Learn to laugh! Laughter is good therapy. It softens and releases worry, fear, and tension which prevent us from expressing our natural joy. Not only is laughter a blessing to oneself, it also is very contagious. It helps to uplift the spirits of others.
Human beings are the only creatures on earth with the capacity of true laughter. Let us learn to exercise this gift of God and express our joy each day.